Approximately 26,000 residents within Italy’s Piemonte region will be involved in Protèus, a program using computer-aided detection (CAD) to screen patients for colon cancer, as part of the Italian province’s cancer prevention efforts.

The project allocates €4.7 million ($7.5 million) over two years to test the diagnostic methodology CAD as a primary screening protocol, according to the Torino, Italy-based im3D.

The program is sponsored by the region of Piemonte; im3D – Medical Imaging Lab; the University of Torino (Interdepartmental Center for Molecular Biotechnology and the department of Medical Surgery Disciplines – radiology department); the Center for Epidemiology and Oncology Prevention; and CIS Piemonte.

Protéus features CAD-Colon, a diagnostic system developed over six years of medical and scientific research conducted by im3D, together with its clinical and scientific partners, among which is the Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment in Torino.

The medical research center said the objectives of the project include:

• Testing a new prevention methodology;
• Increase the effectiveness of colon cancer prevention by increasing the percentage of the population willing to submit to a exam;
• Creating know-how both in terms of the utilization of CAD technology for cancer screening and the use of tele-diagnosis;
• Creating a framework for the construction of an “Center for Experimentation of new technologies for the medical sector;” and
• Disseminating scientific, medical and technological knowledge to help the fight against cancer.